Fire-escape



l(No Model.)

" W. 0. RUTLEDGE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

110.455,641. Patented July 7,1891.

Muros. By' l WITNESSES:

thereon, which form a UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

VIIILIAM O. RUTLEDGE, OF GALVES'FON, TEXAS.'

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.455,641, dated July 7, 1891.

Application filed September 29, 1890. Serial No. 365,506- (No model.)

To all zzz/"tom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM O. RUTLEDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galveston, in the county of Galveston and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFire-Escapes; and I do declare the following to be 'a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which 1t appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying draw` ings, and to the letters of reference marked part of this specification.

The invention relates to improvements in fire-escapes of the class in which a rope formingl part of the device has its upper end at-Y tached within a window or other opening of a building and is connected with apparatus to raise and lower an ascendingfireman orothei" person escaping from the building; and it consists 1n the construction, arrangement, and novel combination of the parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the drawings,

andpointedout in the claims hereto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference designate similar parts, Figure l represents a view of the device attached to the building. Fig. 2 represents a perspective View of the foot-rest or stirrup of the device. Fig. 3 represents avertical section of the stirrup to show t-he dog therein. Fig. 4 is a similar section ou another plane to show the grooved pintle. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the hand-bar and hand-lever. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the lower part thereof to show the rope-clamp therein.

Referringto the drawings by-letter, A designates a window or other opening in the building, to a proper support ,within which the upper end of the rope a issecurely attached, the said rope hanging from awindow or from above the window when such a construction is desirable. If there is' no one to hold it at the-ground or no means of securing it thereto, itniay hang loosely, although it is desirable to secure the said end, if possible,

. which gives it more steadiness.

B designates the stirrup, composed principally of the foot-yoke b and the metal leg and the outer surface of one sidev of said yoke,

and is thence bent transversely across thev bottom of the yoke, forming the foot-rest b2, whence it is bent upward and firmly securedl to the opposite side of the yoke. The stirrup is formed and adapted to be attached to the right foot and has on its outer or right corner a buckle b3, which engages a strap h4, attached to the opposite upper corner of the yoke, the said strap, When-the stirrup is attached, passing over the instep of the right foot. The upper end of the metal bar b is suitably slotted to have a leather strap b5 pass therethrough, which has on one end a buckle b and on the other end perforations for the tongue of the buckle, so that the strap Zr" may be secured around the right leg, or, if necessary` about.both legs, the said strap h5 passing around the leg below theknee, so that the man can stoop to disengage the pintle, hereinafter described. On the outer surface of the inner side of the yoke l) is secured the hinge-joint C, having pivoted betweenits vertical plates cc a dog c, which has atrans-v verse rounded head c2 at its upper end and is grooved at c3 to permit the rope a, which passes through said joint, to pass when the stirrup is moved upward, the end c3 binding on the rope when the stirrup attempts to descend.

c4 is a swinging leaf hanged to the edge of the vertical plate c of said joint and so formed at its free edge as to connect with the inner plate c by the knuckle c5. The said knuckle is vertically grooved to receive a pintle-pin c6 on the free end of the swinging leaf c4, and which has its upper end bent horizontally, so thatit can be lifted, thereby releasing said leaf and rendering the dog cpinactive.

E designates the hand-bar, having a ring e at its lower end for the hook c5 upon the rope o to pass through. At the upper end of said hand-bar is formed the two vertical plates f f of a hinge-joint F, which has afree swinging leaf f attached by the hinge f8 tothe edge of one of said plates, and can have its free edge attached to the edge of the opposite IOO ward on the lower end of the lower arm of a rope-clamp II, that is pivoted within the leaf f', the rope passing between the leaves ff and fof the hinge-joint F. The said clamp has its upper end grooved to bite on the rope and is backed by a spring N, thatthrows it out of engagement when the hand-lever G is released. Thus apersou can stop his descent or regulate the saine at any time by use of the hand-lever G.

A bag or net D of any suitable description may be attached to the hand-bar E by lthe rope d', for the reception of articles or persons to be saved from the fire.

A person-such as a firemeinascending` into a bnildingwill bind the stirrup on his right foot and control the hand bar and lever with the left hand7 the rope passing between the legs. This, of course lcould be reversed; but as most people are right-handed it is the best construction. In ascending the person draws himself by the hand bar and lever, and when he releases them the dog,` c2 in the stirrup preventsfhis falling. In descending'with whatever weight he has the stirrup is released from the rope d by the disengagement of the swinging lea-f cl-that is, the operator stoops over and pulls up the knuckle c5, whichv permits said leaf to swing open and prevents the dog c2 from catching on the rope and controls his descent. It is thus evident that 11e can ascend or descend from a burning building rapidly and easily and can bring down with him in his descent persons who are in danger of the lire.

Having described my invention, I claiml. The combination, with a rope secured at its upper end within a building, of a handbar, hand lever, and clamp, permitting a downward motion, and the stirrup and footrest permitting an upward motion only, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the rope a, of the hand-bar E, having hinge-joints at its upper end and provided with the swinging leaf f', having within it the rope-clamp Il, substantially as specified.

3. The coinbinati0n,With therope and hand bar and lever arranged to control or stop the descent, of lthe stirrup B, composed of the yoke l) and leg and foot plate b', and thehinge-joint c, provided with the pivoted dog c and swiugingleaf c4, substantially as specifled.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' IV. O. RUTLEDGE. lVitnesses:

MAGO LEE STEWART, JN0. R. FULKERsoN. 

